Lamar River

The Lamar River in the Lamar Valley is one of the most picturesque locations to fish in Yellowstone National Park. Indigenous Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout are more than willing to eat your hopper, beetle or ant during the summer months of July, August into September. Accessing the Lamar can be as easy as a 5-minute walk to a 5-mile hike. Trips on the Lamar River with Trout On The Fly are two-day minimums.

The Lamar River starts in the rugged backcountry of Yellowstone National Park near the Northeast corner. Fed by massive snowmelt, thermals, and natural springs, the backcountry section can only be accessed by foot or horseback. This section holds several smaller cutthroat trout ranging in size from 6”-10”. From Soda Butte Creek up the Lamar River, near a tributary named Cache Creek, one can catch several Yellowstone “cuts” averaging 8”-14” in size. The hiking distance ranges from one to eight miles round trip, depending on the angler’s abilities and the pressure of other anglers on the fish. The final 15 miles of the Lamar River’s journey, before feeding into the Yellowstone River near Tower Junction, is easily accessed with short hikes ranging from only a few yards to a couple of miles. This point is located where Soda Butte flows into the Lamar, next to the highway mid-way between Tower Junction and Silver Gate, Montana. This five to six-mile valley section from Soda Butte downriver to the Lamar Canyon holds the bigger fish, averaging 14”-20+”, and on any given day they are willing to eat a dry fly. Water conditions permitting, we can start fishing the Lamar in mid-July through September into October. Best times are late July through August into September. One very important thing to know about the Lamar River is the water conditions change throughout the season. The Lamar can “blow out” when the upper back-country sections receive any amount of rainfall. If you are planning a guided fishing trip on the Lamar don’t be surprised if we have change plans last minute and fish Soda Butte, Pebble Creek or Slough Creek as a result – all great options! Guided fly fishing trips on the Lamar River are a two-day minimum with Trout On The Fly. You are responsible for your own lodging, but we can make recommendations.

NOTE: Felt sole wading boots are prohibited on all rivers in Yellowstone National Park. Trout On The Fly offers non-felt rental gear if needed.